Strokestown International Poetry Festival
Friday, 2nd – Sunday, 4th May 2025
in Memory of Merrily Harpur
Friday, 2nd May
7:00 PM | Café
Poetry Reading & Launch
Trish Bennett, Patrick Chapman & Noelle Lynskey
Admission: €8
8:00 PM | Café
Opening Reception
Join us for the official opening of the 2025 Strokestown International Poetry Festival.
8:30 PM | Café
Poetry Reading & Launch
Katie Donovan, Mark Granier & Luke Morgan
Admission: €8
9:30 PM | Compton’s Pub, Strokestown
Strokestown Open Mic & Music night
Admission: Free
Saturday, 3rd May
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Attic
Poetry Workshop: Making a Poem
Join poet Enda Wyley to explore the impressive varieties of forms and creative energies that
connect in the making of great poems. Be inspired by the work of established poets and be
guided in your own poetry writing. Varied, interactive and fun – you will take away from this
workshop an increased enthusiasm for poetry and a deeper understanding of the making of it.
(Limited to 12 participants)
12:15 PM | Stables
New Voices, New Work from Macha & Revival Press.
Sam Furlong, Bernadette Gallagher & Eilish Martin present new work.
Admission: €8
2:15 PM | Stables
Arlen House Book Launch
Washing Windows V
The latest in the groundbreaking Arlen House anthologies, featuring the work of 100 new and emerging women poets.
Admission: Free
4:00 PM | Stables
Poetry Reading
Noel Monahan & Kate Newman
Admission: €8
7:00 PM | Café
Poetry & Prose Readings
Peter Carpenter & Vona Groarke
Admission: €10
8:30 PM | Café
Remembering Merrily Harpur
An evening of poetry, memories, and music, with special guests in tribute to Merrily Harpur.
Admission: €10
Sunday, 4th May
11:00 AM | Stables
Film Screening: Laurence Henson films
12:15 PM | Stables
Launch of Cyphers 99
Featuring contributors to this latest edition of Cyphers poetry magazine.
Admission: Free
2:00 PM | Stables
Strokestown International Poetry Competition Announcement
Jane Clarke announces the winner of the Strokestown International Poetry Competition, with readings from the shortlisted poets and the overall winner.
Admission: Free
4:00 PM | Stables
The Life of the Poet, Peter Sirr’s exploratory and adventurous talk on poetry, is the Joan McBreen Lecture for this year’s Strokestown International Poetry Festival.
Admission: Free
7:00 PM | Café
Presenting New Work
James Harpur, Lawrence Kessenich & Ceaití Ní Bheildiúin
Admission: €10
8:00 PM | Café
Closing Night Reception
8:30 PM | Café
Poetry Reading
Paddy Bushe, Nuala O’Connor & Gerard Smyth
Admission: €10
Onsite Festival Bookseller : Alan Hayes – Celebrating 50 years of Arlen House.